WASHINGTON, D.C. (Reuters) — The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump seeks mainly limited changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Wall Street Journal reported March 30. The news organization cited an administrative draft proposal circulated in Congress by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Under the changes, proposed after Trump called […] Read more
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Trump seeks modest NAFTA changes
Unharvested crop may explain slow seed sales this year
Last year’s farming season was put away wet, and the winter didn’t dry it out too much, especially in eastern Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Many producers in Alberta and parts of Saskatchewan failed to get all their crops in the bin before harvest closed for the season, and that might be why some haven’t been rushing […] Read more
Colleges to offer programs on smart agriculture
Two colleges in Western Canada have teamed up to develop new programs in smart agriculture. Officials from Saskatchewan Polytechnic and Olds College announced March 20 that the two schools will jointly explore the demand for “new programming and applied research into smart agriculture.” The colleges will begin collaborating immediately to identify new training, applied research […] Read more
Landowners want input on wildlife protection
Current number of listed terrestrial species in Alberta
EDMONTON — Canada’s Species at Risk Act might have noble goals to protect vulnerable plants and animals, but it can have a big impact on agriculture, forestry or oil and gas using the same land. There are no consequences be-cause there is no compensation to landowners if this happens, said delegates to the Alberta Association […] Read moreDuPont agrees to asset swap to pave way for merger
The deal gives FMC Corp. DuPont’s cereal herbicides business, making it the world’s fifth largest crop protection firm
FMC Corp. and DuPont are swapping assets in a deal that will give FMC DuPont’s cereal herbicides business and other agricultural assets. The arrangement will move FMC, headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, into the fifth place crop protection company globally, assessed by revenue. DuPont wanted the sale to ease the competition concerns of the European Commission […] Read moreGrain movement report now offered daily
The Ag Transport Coalition says the daily West Coast Grain Pipeline Status report will provide more timely information
The Ag Transport Coalition is publishing a new daily report that takes a closer look at the movement of western Canadian grain shipments to export position on the West Coast. ATC, a coalition of grain shippers, elevator companies, commodity groups and oilseed processors, has been publishing weekly railway performance reports since early 2015. ATC spokesperson […] Read moreMontreal logistics company sets sights on Prince Rupert
A Montreal-based shipping and logistics company has plans to develop a new container transloading loading facility at the Port of Prince Rupert in northern British Columbia. Ray-Mont Logistics will develop an “integrated logistics and container loading facility” that will handle Canadian pulses, cereal grains and other crops, according to a March 20 news release distributed […] Read more
Garlic growers smell future expansion
People in the garlic industry predict a strong season ahead. “It’s probably 30 percent higher in the province from last year to this year,” said Paul Smith of Northern Equipment Solutions, an equipment dealer near Barrie, Ont., that sells garlic equipment. Many expect the crop in Ontario, where most of the country’s garlic is grown, […] Read more
Bow River watershed infected with fish parasitic disease
Testing has found whirling disease throughout the Bow River and its tributaries as well as commercial aquaculture sites
LACOMBE, Alta. — Alberta’s Bow River watershed has been declared infected with whirling disease, a parasitic infection affecting trout, salmon and whitefish. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Alberta Environment are working on long-term surveillance of wild fish and aquaculture facilities. Commercial facilities will have to test fish for the disease and implement approved biosecurity […] Read moreFederal research money needed to move ag forward
GUELPH, Ont. — The time is ripe for an investment in plant breeding and other agricultural research, according to a University of Sask-atchewan agricultural economist. Given the federal government’s commitment in its recent budget to agricultural innovation and the enactment of the Agricultural Growth Act two years ago, steps can be taken to increase spending, […] Read more
